Getting to Know... Dmitri Kalinin

Each week, Sabres.com will feature one Buffalo Sabre. The video piece will be made up of game highlights, practice highlights, as well as a one-on-one interview.

By bringing you this piece, we hope that you will be able to learn a little more about each player, including information about his family, how he got started in hockey, his most momentous sports moment, as well as what he likes to do in his downtime.

THIS WEEK:Defenseman Dmitri Kalinin grew up in Chelyabinsk, Russia. Kalinin was introduced to hockey by a friend and neighbor who attended hockey school. His friend took him to the school and Kalinin just fell in love with the sport and stuck with it.

One of the biggest thrills for the defenseman was playing on Russia's national teams in the world championships and in the Olympics, because it was a dream come true to represent his country at the elite level.